Matt Goldberg wrote:New details have emerged on Walter Hill’s upcoming action flick Headshot starring Sylvester Stallone and Thomas Jane. As we previously reported, the story centers on a hitman (Stallone) and an NYPD detective (Jane) who team up to exact revenge. According to What’s Playing, the film will be, much like Stallone’s The Expendables, a throwback to 80s buddy action flicks. Hill reportedly signed on for the flick because it reminded him of the films he used to make like 48 Hrs. and Red Heat. WP also says that Hill has fine-tuned Alessandro Camon’s script and improved the “cool” dialogue and central relationship between Stallone and Jane’s characters.

I desperately hope that this film is better than Expendables and having Hill behind the camera gives me that hope. However, it’s interesting/sad that ever since 2006’s Rocky Balboa, Stallone has essentially acknowledged that he’s a relic and that the only way his stardom can continue is if he can transport audiences back to when he was actually a star.

Gregg Kilday wrote:Joel Silver’s Dark Castle Entertainment has come on board Walter Hill’s upcoming action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone, and the film is now set to be distributed domestically through Warner Bros.

Silver’s Dark Castle is partnering with Stuart Ford’s IM Global and Courtney Solomon’s After Dark Films on the project, based on the graphic novel Bullet to the Head, written by Matz and illustrated by Colin Wilson.

The plot involves a New Orleans hitman, to be played by Stallone, who joins up with a New York City cop to form an alliance to bring down the killers of their respective partners.

Sung Kang, of Fast Five, has been cast in a supporting role in the production, which is set to begin filming in Louisiana later in June.

Silver previously collaborated with Hill on the movies 48 Hours and Warriors and HBO's Tales from the Crypt.

Silver, who also produced the Stallone movies Demolition Man and Assassins, said, “Sylvester Stallone is an iconic action star the world over and I'm thrilled to be working with him again. I look forward to joining with IM Global and After Dark in bringing this exciting new story to the screen.”

Added Ford, “Joel and his Dark Castle team are the perfect partners to help steer a project like this successfully forward and we're delighted to have them onboard, as well as having Warner Bros. as the U.S. distribution homefor the film.”

The new film -- which previously referred to as Headshot -- will be billed as a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Dark Castle Entertainment, IM Global and After Dark Films. Alexandra Milchan, Miles Millar, Alfred Gough, Kevin King-Templeton and Andrew Rona will also serve as producers. Ford, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Deepak Nayar, Solomon, Allan Zeman and Steve Richards will executive produce.

Jeff Sneider wrote:Sung Kang's feature career is hitting a new gear, as the "Fast Five" star has landed a key supporting role alongside Sylvester Stallone in Walter Hill's upcoming action thriller.

Untitled pic is a Warner Bros. presentation, in association with Dark Castle Entertainment, IM Global and After Dark Films.

Story follows a New Orleans hitman (Stallone) and a Gotham cop who team up to take down the killers of their respective partners. Project is based on the graphic novel "Bullet to the Head," written by Matz and illustrated by Colin Wilson.

"Sylvester Stallone is an iconic action star the world over and I'm thrilled to be working with him again," said Silver, who previously produced the Stallone films "Demolition Man" and "Assassins," as well as Hill's "48 Hours" and "The Warriors."

Production is scheduled to start later this month in Louisiana.

Outside of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, Kang has appeared in the Silver-produced "Ninja Assassin" and 20th Century Fox's "Live Free or Die Hard," as well as the indie "The Motel."

JANE: Well, Wayne Kramer brought me into the project and when Wayne left the project I suggested Walter Hill to Stallone and the next week they hired Walter Hill and I was very happy about that because I’ve always wanted to work with him.

But then did the studio sort of…

JANE: Well, Joel Silver came onboard the project and said that he has a quote-unquote ‘formula’ for these quote-unquote ‘buddy movies’ and it has to be a white guy and a quote-unquote ‘ethnic guy.’ And they relieved me of duty and basically paid me off, which I was really upset about, you know? I didn’t get a call from Stallone. I was a little upset about that. Maybe they didn’t want anybody on the movie with a bigger dick than him.

Wayne Kramer was sort of abruptly fired from that film too. Was it over him being too violent? Because I’ve been told that it’s still an R-rated movie and Stallone’s comment was that [Kramer had] made a [script] that was too violent and that they were doing something that was a little less extreme.

JANE: Well, Wayne Kramer is very dark, very extreme, which I personally like. But I know that Stallone is a bit more of a traditionalist. That doesn’t make it worse it just makes it different. Walter Hill for my money was the man to fulfill both. He can do great with character and he’s great with action. So he is the man…I hope they can still make a great film without me.

MIKE FLEMING wrote:EXCLUSIVE: Mikael Hafstrom is in talks to direct Sylvester Stallone in The Tomb, a drama backed by Emmett/Furla Films and Summit Entertainment. Hafstrom has been circling the project for some time, but things were stalled while Stallone was in Bulgaria. He’s finishing up the film in New Orleans, and things seem to be moving. Harry Knowles is reporting the possibility of a re-team between Stallone and his Expendables 2 co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Tomb. I’ve heard the same chatter, and checked over the past several days. I’ve been told Schwarzenegger’s been approached, but insiders in the production say that it hasn’t progressed beyond that at this point. It’s one of those in-the-air pairings that seems to make too much sense not to happen. Schwarzenegger is certainly familiar with the script, as he once considered playing the lead role that is now Stallone (Bruce Willis was once attached to make it with Antoine Fuqua). In the drama that was scripted by Miles Chapman, got a rewrite from Jason Keller and now has Chapman working on the latest draft with Hafstrom, Stallone plays a man who has designed a high-tech prison that is said to be escape-proof. When he is set up and sent to the prison he created, he essentially must go up against himself to escape and find retribution. Hafstrom’s credits include last year’s The Rite and 2007′s 1408 and he’s repped by WME.

I dig that poster, too. And I agree, it's got a 90s vibe to it, what with actually having a visual concept and all. But don't worry, I'm sure there is still time to get a photoshop floating heads collage, posters for each individual side character, and one last title change to ESCAPE PLAN: REDEMPTION.

As I said in the TBs, I think it looks interesting. Although I can't stand the gaping plot hole of how a prison that is deemed "escape proof" and so high tech, going thru such lenghts as creating glass cells for maximum transparency would still allow the prison population to mingle. If these prisoners are the worst of the worst or whatever the hell they called them, why would they be allowed to socialize? But yeah, might be a good afternoon popcorn flick. I'm still willing to give Arnold another shot...

Oh, and I'm changing the name of this thread...I was looking to post this trailer earlier today and couldn't find this freaking thing...

I agree with that article that sensibilities have changed and audiences now prefer action movies to have galactic stakes, heroes with magic powers, and non-violent action. But I also felt ESCAPE PLAN was a movie for no one. It's not really a movie for the Sly 'n Arnie crowd. I think if you get Sly and Arnie together on screen, their fans want it to be more of a bloodthirsty overthetop action movie. And the people who would actually enjoy a bland prisonbreak movie will avoid ESCAPE PLAN because they see Sly and Arnie on the poster and assume it will be too lowbrow 'n cheesey. I think if they'd done the same movie with actors like James Franco and Djimon Hounsou in the lead roles it probably would've appealed to the audience that might've actually enjoyed it.

Schwarzenegger and Caviezel both gave really good performances though. Props to them.

I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would. There were plot holes the size of Sly's biceps and groan-worthy sequences that even made my dog howl in disbelief, but really, that's what these action movies give you 9 times out of 10, so its easier to give it a pass. Worth checking out (once) IMO.

Mike Fleming Jr wrote:EXCLUSIVE: Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films has greenlighted a sequel to its 2013 film Escape Plan, with Sylvester Stallone prepared to reprise the role he played in the original, this time in a supporting capacity. He starred in the original with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and it grossed $137 million worldwide.

Amanda N'Duka wrote:EXCLUSIVE: Production on Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films’ Escape Plan 3: Devil’s Station has commenced with Sylvester Stallone on board to reprise his starring role along with Dave Bautista, Jaime King, Lydia Hull, and Tyler Jon Olson. The are joined by franchise newcomers Max Zhang, Devon Sawa (Final Destination), Harry Shum Jr. (Shadowhunters), Malese Jow (The Vampire Diaries), and Sergio Rizzuto in the film, which John Herzfeld is directing.

In this installment, Ray Breslin (Stallone) and Trent DeRosa (Bautista) must join forces again in order to rescue one of their team members who is held captive at the penitentiary known as Devil’s Station, a prison where no one ever gets out.

Herzfeld co-wrote the sequel with Miles Chapman, who wrote the previously two pics. EFO’s Randall Emmett and George Furla return as producers alongside Atmosphere Entertainment’s Mark Canton, Zack Schiller of Boles/Schiller Film Group, Jie Qiu and Echo Su. Exec producers are Barry Brooker and Stan Wertlieb of Grindstone, Robert Jones and Wayne Marc Godfrey of The Fyzz Facility, Ted Fox and Mark Stewart. Leomus is co-financing the feature, which will be released via Lionsgate.